National Capital Region Likely To Shrink To 100-Km Radius

The National Capital Region is likely to shrink to 100-km radius, according to a draft plan approved by the NCR Planning Board on Tuesday. The focus of 'Draft Regional Plan 2041' is the development of NCR's urban areas, according to news agency PTI, which quoted officials. The National Capital Region currently spans around 150-175 kilometres, covering entire districts and their rural areas. But with the approval of Regional Plan 2041, areas beyond 100 km are not likely to be main part of the NCR, said the officials. The draft plan talks about establishing linear corridors beyond the 100 km radius, paving the way for development in areas falling within one kilometre from expressways, national highways and regional rapid transit system. The decision to include or omit Tehsils lying partly within this 100 km delineation will be left to the respective state governments, according to the details of the regional plan carried by PTI. A detailed draft plan will soon be made public for suggestions and objections and thereafter, it will be notified by the NCR Planning Board. The Regional Plan 2021, which is available on NCRPB's website, had identified seven metro centres - Faridabad-Ballabgarh, Gurgaon-Manesar, Ghaziabad-Loni, Noida, Sonepat-Kundli, Greater Noida and Meerut. It had also identified 11 regional centres - Bahadurgah, Panipat, Rohtak, Palwal, Rewari-Dharuhera-Bawal, Hapur-Pilkhua, Bulandshahr-Khurja, Baghpat-Baraut, Alwar, Greater Bhiwadi and Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror. The plan for the year 2041 also envisions an NCR with air ambulance facility and high-speed connectivity through helitaxis, road, rail and inland waterways.